Ottoman Army (1861–1922)

The Ottoman Army was the military of the Ottoman Empire after the country was reorganized along modern western European lines during the Tanzimat modernization period. In 1826, Sultan Mahmud II abolished the Janissary Corps, which had existed for centuries but was unable to adapt to modern military tactics and frequently rebelled. In its place, he established the Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye (Victorious Soldiers of Prophet Muhammad) army that same year. The Sultan continued his reform efforts by establishing modern institutions to support the army. In 1826, he established the Seraskerlik , equivalent to a modern Ministry of Defense. In 1827, the first military medical school,Imperial School of Medicine, was opened to train doctors and surgeons for the army. In 1834, Harbiye Military School was opened with the support of French military instructors to train officers for the army.

On June 14, 1843, Sultan Abdülmecid changed the army's name to Asâkir-i Nizâmiye-i Şâhâne (Royal Regular Soldiers). From this date onward, the army began to be known simply as the Nizami Ordu (Regular Army). In 1845, he established Kuleli Military High School, the first modern military high school, in the capital Istanbul. In 1848, the first military academy, Erkan-ı Harbiye Military Academy, was opened to train army staff officers and high-ranking officers, or pashas. The Crimean War was the first war effort in which the modern army took part in, proving itself as a decent force. The last reorganization occurred during the Second Constitutional Era.

The uniforms of the modern army reflected the military uniforms of the western European countries who were the Ottoman army's principal advisors at the time. The Ottoman government considered adopting a Western-style headdress for all personnel within the army, but the fez was favoured as it was more suited to the postures of the Islamic ritual prayer.

French-style uniform and court dress were common during the early stage of the Tanzimat period. After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, the Ottoman government searched for other role models, so German- and British-style uniforms became popular. During World War I, the officer uniforms were mainly based on those of the Ottoman's German allies.